Ace the LB Santa Clara County Orientation 2026 – Get Set for Success!

Open government invites staff to engage beyond just being present at meetings by using the formal channels that capture input, context, and accountability. Staying informed by reviewing agendas and minutes helps you understand what issues are on the table, what decisions are being considered, and how actions may affect stakeholders. Submitting public comments adds your perspective directly into the decision-making process, ensuring concerns and ideas are heard by decision-makers and recorded for the record. Providing input through appropriate channels—such as designated comment periods, official forms, or established communication routes—makes sure your contributions are routed to the right staff and reviewed in a structured way, which supports transparency and accountability.

Posting opinions on social media, while it can share viewpoints, isn’t a formal mechanism for open-government input and may not be captured or considered in the official process. Avoiding engagement runs counter to open-government goals. By using the approved channels, staff actively participate in governance in a way that informs, documents, and improves public decisions.